| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: to gayety of manner.
One Sunday--it was in the month of June--the two friends were
walking together on the shores of Loch Malcolm. Coal Town rested
from labor. In the world above, stormy weather prevailed.
Violent rains fell, and dull sultry vapors brooded over the earth;
the atmosphere was most oppressive.
Down in Coal Town there was perfect calm; no wind, no rain.
A soft and pleasant temperature existed instead of the strife
of the elements which raged without. What wonder then,
that excursionists from Stirling came in considerable numbers
to enjoy the calm fresh air in the recesses of the mine?
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: ordinary mortals in hardihood, not in effeminacy. Yet there were
things in which he was not ashamed to take the lion's share, as, for
example, the sun's heat in summer, or winter's cold. Did occasion ever
demaned of his army moil and toil, he laboured beyond all others as a
thing of course, believing that such ensamples are a consolation to
the rank and file. Or, to put the patter compendiously, Agesilaus
exulted in hard work: indolence he utterly repudiated.
[1] See "Pol. Lac." xv. 4. See J. J. Hartman, "An. Xen." 257.
[2] See Hom. "Il." ii. 24, {ou khro pannukhion eudein boulephoron
andra}, "to sleep all night through beseemeth not one that is a
counsellor."--W. Leaf.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: opportunely returning to Paris. Can I serve you where Rougane
cannot? The need, monsieur, would appear to be very urgent if the
half of what I suspect is true. Aline should be placed in safety
at once."
M. de Kercadiou surrendered unconditionally. He came over and took
Andre-Louis' hand.
"My boy," he said, and he was visibly moved, "there is in you a
certain nobility that is not to be denied. If I seemed harsh with
you, then, it was because I was fighting against your evil
proclivities. I desired to keep you out of the evil path of
politics that have brought this unfortunate country into so terrible
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: his back on Corentin, "he would leave those foxes to fight
aristocrats, and send his solders on other business."
Corentin looked coldly after the old soldier, whose face had
brightened at the resolve, and his eyes gleamed with a sardonic
expression, which showed the mental superiority of this subaltern
Machiavelli.
"Give an ell of blue cloth to those fellows, and hang a bit of iron at
their waists," he said to himself, "and they'll think there's but one
way to kill people." Then, after walking up and down awhile very
slowly, he exclaimed suddenly, "Yes, the time has come, that woman
shall be mine! For five years I've been drawing the net round her, and
The Chouans |
